Bhubaneswar/Pune, Jan 22 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was conferred the "Ideal Chief Minister" award by former President Pratibha Patil at Bharatiya Chhatra Sansad in Pune on Sunday.
Receiving the award, which singles out the most ground-breaking and high-impact work done by Chief Ministers in their respective states, in a special event organised by Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT) School of Governance, he said: "It is a great honour for us to be conferred with this award as it is the voice of the youth of India.
"Odisha's transformation is a work in progress and I am joined in this mission by the 4.5 crore people who make Odisha. We will continue our journey as we continue to grow, together."
Patnaik told the assembled young minds that what took him from being a novice at politics to the longest-serving Chief Minister is the resolve to bring about a change in the lives of people.
"When you keep people first it is good politics... when you keep people first there is no anti-incumbency. If you keep people at the forefront it is not a political journey, It is a spiritual experience," he said.
He cited both Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King jr as saying that at the core of good governance is love for people.
"If you love your people, you do not see the post you hold as a post, but as a means to serve the people.You do not see power as power, but as a means to transform the lives of people," said Patnaik.
"Today, I can say with conviction, that politics is not complicated. Politics is the most powerful instrument to bring about change in the lives of people. And so it follows that if people are kept at the core of your intentions, efforts and initiatives, then there is no complication," he added.
On his arrival in Pune, Patnaik was given a grand welcome from Utkal Samaj. Later he announced to build an Utkal Bhawan in the city. Besides, he assured the people of Odisha residing in the city to recommend to the Maharashtra Government to begin flight services between Pune and Bhubaneswar soon.